The Last One Left
by Hermione's Shadow
Summary: They started out as three and made a promise. Now there is one. She re-lives the memories of their youth and struggles to accept that she is the last one left. Follows book 7, ignores the epilogue. Mention of H/Hr,R/L but focuses on the trio as a whole


**The Last One Left**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the below characters. They all belong to the world of Harry Potter so cleverly created by JK Rowling

**A/N: Okay, so I was in a really sad and nostalgic mood when I wrote this. This idea had popped into my head a few days ago when I was thinking about how sad the series is in general, however I didn't write anything at first. Then I wrote myself into a corner with my other story "In Search of the Truth," so I kind of got into one of my sad, nostalgic, reflective moods and I just decided to take a break from that story and write this. I hope that you like, and I really hope you review. I sort of followed book seven (with complete obvious disregard for the epilogue) however that is the only book I haven't read more than once, so if it isn't completely accurate I'm sorry, but I'm warning you now. If stories that don't exactly follow the book bother you, than I am warning you I did my best to stay close but I might have made mistakes. Anyway, enough of my me going on and on, here's the story.**

Hermione stood alone on the hilltop. The ceremony had ended hours ago and everyone else had long since departed and left her to her thoughts. Even those closest to her knew that

she needed to be alone right now. She would grieve with her family and friends later, but for now she just needed to be left alone. As Hermione faced the headstones in front of her

silent tears rolled down her face. She closed her eyes and let the memories overtake her as a small, sad smile graced her face.

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Hermione's mind took her back nearly nine decades ago as she saw herself slide open the compartment door in search of a lost toad and introduce herself to the two boys that would

so completely change her life. She remembered the events of that year as clearly as if they were yesterday, remembering the warmth that spread throughout her heart after Harry and

Ron had rescued her from the troll. She remembered watching Ron sacrifice himself so that she and Harry could continue on in search of Voldemort. She smiled as she remembered her

young self hugging Harry and encouraging him to go on. Hermione smiled as all the happy memories of her years at Hogwarts burst clearly into the front of her mind.

She was racing through in between the tables in the Great Hall to meet Harry's embrace after she had been petrified.

Next she was punching Malfoy for his cruelty and earning the shocked approval of her two best friends. Then she was racing back to the Hospital Wing with Harry after having rescued

Sirius and Buckbeak.

Next she was walking down the grand staircase feeling as she had never felt before and relishing at the stunned looks of her classmates, particularly of two certain raven-haired and

red headed boys. Then she, Ron, and Harry, were pouring over book after book attempting to find anything that would help him in his Triwizard Tournament. Hermione felt a rush of

warmth overtake her as she remembered the last day of their fourth year. She remembered how scared she had felt at the uncertainty ahead, but as she walked in between Harry and

Ron and as they joked about writing to one another she had known in that instant that things would somehow be alright.

Then she was remembering the fiery passion that had taken over her in their fifth year as they first came up with the idea for the D.A.

Next her memories catapulted her past their six year and she was remembering all the time they had spent together in their search for the horocruxes. Even though those memories

weren't her happiest, they were memories that had forged the bonds of the trio deeper than anyone would ever be able to understand. Next she was remembering the night the battle

had ended. She, Harry, and Ron had snuck out of the castle under the Harry's invisibility cloak, marauder's map in hand simply for old time's sake. The final battle had chipped away the

very last of their childhood and innocence and had changed everything they knew. The three of them had desperately wanted to cling to something that had reminded them of before,

even if it was only for a few hours.

More tears came to Hermione's eyes as she remembered that night so many years ago as clear as day. They had snuck out to their favorite spot by the lake and spent the entire night

huddled together. Exhaustion had long overtaken everyone else but none of them could sleep. They all knew that the next day meant having to face the damage done and the loved

ones they had lost. The morning's light meant that they would have to face reality, so for the few remaining hours of darkness they had tried to hang on to every bit of the past. They

talked and laughed about their adventures and mishaps over last seven years. As the sun began to peak out over the horizon and the first rays of morning dawned they had made a

solemn vow always be friends and to never again abandon one another. As the last bit of night faded into morning, they promised to always stay together.

After that, the slow process of healing began for the survivors of the war. They had all moved in together and for the next year they leaned on each other as they healed. It was the

unique bond that they shared though, that made it difficult for any of them to have a relationship. Harry and Ginny tried, but it never again was the same for them. Even though she did

not blame or resent them for it, she hated feeling like an outsider. She knew that she would never be able to share in their private jokes, nor was she able to comfort Harry when he

began having flashbacks. Only Hermione or Ron could do that. So they went their separate ways, although they always remained close friends.

Hermione and Ron had given it a try for a while too, before they surrendered to the fact that they really just worked better as friends. After that they tried to date other people, but

things never worked out. At first they had to deal with those that simply wanted to gain fame by being linked to them, and then, even when one of them was able to find an honest

person it always ended the same. For Hermione, none of the males seemed to get past being intimidated by Harry and Ron, and honestly, she didn't blame. She may have never done it

out loud, but internally she always compared the men she dated to them and none of them were ever able to meet her standards. For Harry and Ron, none of the girls they dated liked

having to share their attention with Hermione. A few of them had gone so far as to give the boys and ultimatum, either them or Hermione, and Hermione had won hands down every

time.

It was a couple of years before Harry and Hermione began to see each other differently. Surprisingly, in spite of his, at times, incapacitating ignorance Ron was the first to pick up on it,

even before they did. Once he did though, Ron did everything he could to move it along. He had even enlisted the help of his little sister and their two closest friends Neville and Luna.

He was so focused on Harry and Hermione, that he was completely blindsided when he fell head over heals for Luna.

Hermione smiled as she remembered the night that Ron realized it. She and Harry had just started dated the previous month when it happened. They had come home to find Ron in a

daze in front of the fireplace. At first they were afraid that he was having flashbacks. When they had approached him cautiously to ask him what was wrong he had looked at them with

an expression of complete amazement before blurting out "I think I've fallen in love with Loony Lovegood." Harry had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing at the look on Ron's face,

but Hermione had just smiled, genuinely happy that he had found somebody. Luna had fit in perfectly. She accepted and was content with the fact that the trio shared a bond that

couldn't be broken and sometimes they needed time to themselves. She also understood that she wasn't always the one that Ron would go to first when he was plagued with

memories, and that Hermione was a very permanent fixture in his life and yet she didn't mind. She knew that he loved her and that was all that mattered. Before long, the two couples

were planning there weddings.

Hermione smiled as she recalled her wedding. It had been a very small affair. Ginny had been her maid of honor and Luna her only other bridesmaid while Ron was the best man and

Neville a groomsman. Their guest list had been very small, consisting of her family, Ron's family, and some of their old classmates. Two months later, Ron and Luna had tied the knot.

Hermione was pulled out of her reverie when she heard a voice calling to her.

"Mum? Mum are you alright?" An older man who looked to be in his late seventies asked as he walked toward her.

Hermione turned to see her oldest son make his way toward her. Hermione smiled lovingly at him as her adopted son came and stood by her side. At one point Hermione had been very

uncomfortable with the idea of him calling her mum, but now it made her heart swell with pride and love. Hermione once again shifted her focus in front of her as she remembered the

day she and Harry had chosen to raise him as their own.

It was four months after their wedding when they got the news. Andromeda Tonks had been admitted to St. Mungos with what seemed to have been a mild case of the flu and had

suddenly died only an hour later. Because Harry was little Teddy's godfather, he had been contacted immediately with the news. If he wished to formally adopt Teddy then he would

receive custody of the child immediately. If not they would be forced to place Teddy elsewhere, most likely in an orphanage. Hermione clearly remembered the day that Harry had come

home early from the office with the news. Hermione had been terrified. They had talked of having children, but they hadn't planned on having any so soon. Yet Hermione hadn't

hesitated to sign the papers that would make her half responsible for the little life. It had been difficult at first because Teddy was already four and had every bit of his mothers bubbling

personality. Harry and Hermione had Teddy call them aunt and uncle the first few years he lived with them, but one day he had come home from a visit at the Burrow insisting on calling

them mummy and daddy. Harry and Hermione had fretted for days over what to do. They did not like the idea at first because they felt like they were dishonoring Tonks and Remus, but

they eventually decided that as long as he grew up knowing about Tonks and Remus, and as long as Harry and Hermione did everything they could to make sure he grew up knowing

what truly amazing people his birth parents were, there would be know harm in allowing little Teddy to call them that.

Hermione was once again pulled out of her reverie, this time by the sound of her other children calling to her. She was vaguely aware that it was beginning to get darker and she pulled

her cloak tightly around her. As she took one last look at the tombstones, she slowly made her way to her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren as they waited patiently at

the bottom of the hill for her. As she walked away, the last two memories she had been putting off came rushing to her.

It was a cold rainy day, nearly ten years ago to the day. Harry hadn't been feeling well, so Hermione had just finished contacting their youngest daughter to let her know that they

wouldn't be able to come over when she heard Harry calling to her. When she came back into their bedroom he had asked her to lay with him for a while. They laid there just enjoying

each other's presence until Harry spoke again.

"I'm leaving Hermione," he told her simply

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked fearfully already knowing the answer.

"I'm sorry love. My time has come, I must go."

"But what about the promise we made, all those years ago? Remember with Ron?" She asked as tears threatened to spill down her face.

"We will all be together again. It won't be that long I promise. Tell Ron I'm sorry. I love you." And just like that, he slipped away peacefully. Ron had been at her side only moments later

having felt that something was wrong. They cried together for hours that night. It was the first time in decades that they had needed each and only each other. They had tried to

rehash old memories as they had that night so many years ago, but even that was too painful without Harry.

Of course, the sudden passing of the Great Harry Potter hit the wizarding community hard. It dawned on Hermione many months later that nobody expected the Chosen One and their

fearless leader to succumb to mortality. Nobody expected the Boy Who Lived to die, and nobody thought that he would be the first of the Golden Trio to go.

Hermione was brought back to reality as the car stopped in front of her home. Hermione bid good-bye to her children and slowly walked into her house. Without turning on the lights,

she went straight to her room where she sat in darkness as she recalled the owl she had received one week ago.

Hermione had been cleaning out an old box that she had found in the attic. Apparently it had never been brought down after she and Harry had moved in over thirty-five years prior.

She had begun to go through it and immediately realized it contained things that Harry had thought he had lost. Curious, Hermione started going through it when she found one of his

most treasured items, the photo album Hagrid had given him at the completion of their first year. With shaking hands Hermione opened it and she began to turn the pages. Old

memories flooded through her mind as she stared at the picture of them in their first year waving happily and innocently back at her. She had been so lost in thought that she nearly

had a heart attack when loud tapping sounded at her window. As she looked up and saw Ron and Luna's owl, a feeling of dread came over her. She immediately opened the note and

her heart sank as she recognized Luna's script

_Hermione,_

_If you can come quick, I think this is it.  
_

Hermione flooed over there as fast as she could and was by Luna's side in an instant. As she kneeled down next to Luna at Ron's bedside, tears filled her eyes as his tired eyes met

hers. "I'm sorry Hermione," he whispered. "We'll all be together again soon, I promise. I love you both." And just like Harry, he slipped away peacefully.

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Two years later

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Hermione stood serenely in front of the two graves. Her hair had long ago turned gray and it was now pinned neatly at the base of her neck. Although her youth had long ago left her,

Hermione Potter was still elegant and beautiful in her own simple way. To her right was her dearest friend and brother, Ronald Weasley. To her left was her soulmate and husband,

Harry Potter. The spot directly in front of her though was still empty. She was the last one left.

For the last two years, Hermione had existed going through the motions. The light that had once shone in her eyes had been extinguished. Her family watched helplessly as her spirit

died. They had lost a little bit of her when Harry died, but she had still hung on to herself. After Ron died though, they watched as little by little she slipped away from them.

The last two years for Hermione had been miserable. She never thought this would happen. She couldn't understand. They had promised each other on that night all those years ago

that they would always be together. She had carried on as best she could for her family, but she felt so alone. She had visited their graves regularly hoping to hold on to a trace of what

had been. Today was different though. As Hermione stood in front of her two best friends, the sparkle had once again returned to her eyes. She knew that this was the last time she

would visit. Just like Harry and Ron, she could feel it was finally her time. That night before she went to bed, she wrote a note to children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

The next morning when James Potter arrived at the house to see if she wanted to go to breakfast, he found his mother's note. It was short and simple.

_To my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren,_

_I finally got to go home._

James smiled and looked up at the sky, happy for his mother. At the age of 102 years old, Hermione Potter, the last one left, had finally been taken home.

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Hermione opened her eyes and was engulfed by a soft glow. Looking around she saw what she had patiently waited for, for the last twelve years. Hermione grinned and began running

toward her two best friends her brown curls flying behind her. She was met with open arms and the three of them embraced for a long time before anyone spoke.

"Long time, no see?" Hermione said softly smiling from ear to ear.

"It hasn't really seemed like that long for us," Harry replied.

"I have missed you both so much," Hermione said however there wasn't a hint of sadness in her voice. It was filled with pure joy and happiness.

"It doesn't really matter now, does it?" Ron said. "We're all together once more."

"I never go back on a promise," they all said in unison before breaking into laughter.

They continued laughing as they began walking away. The Golden Trio had finally been reunited, looking just as they had on that day they made the promise to each other all those

years ago. They continued to walk, laughing together and ready to take on their great next adventure.

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**A/N: Me again just asking you to pretty please review. P.S. I am still working on "In Search of the Truth." Its just that I spent like two days trying to figure out how to work something out and was over the moon when I figured it. Then I realized I had an even more difficult problem to figure out. Anyway, reviews are greatly appreciated, thanks!!!**


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